What may be the most important gun safety bill is now front and center in the ongoing debates in Augusta. A true extreme risk protection order, or red flag law, sponsored by Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, will give family members or law enforcement the ability to approach the courts to initiate a temporary removal of firearms from a person exhibiting dangerous behavior or making threats to harm themselves or others.

The red flag law would not require a mental health assessment, which incorrectly and unfairly stigmatizes mental illness, and doesn’t involve taking the person into protective custody, as Maine’s current “yellow flag” law mandates.

Approximately 90% of gun deaths in Maine are suicides. When suicides are attempted with a gun, 85% are successful.

Please contact our legislators and let them know you want Maine to join the other New England states and the 21 states in total that have extreme risk protection orders in place, making the citizens of those states safer. We deserve better than the status quo.

Mary Ann Larson
Bangor